Puzzle
by Cuirlfox369
Summary: "The first step to fixing a puzzle is to simply open the box..."  PruCan AU. Warnings and author's notes inside.


**Note: I own nothing. Everything the animals say that are in italics, the regular characters only hear as basic animal sounds. (If you want to know why I put that, then read!)**

**Warning: Mild swearing. (Don't go into a hissy fit, it's only one or two words.)**

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_If asked how to begin to solve a puzzle, most will answer what pieces they single out first. However, that is incorrect. The first thing is to simply open the box. From there you could take the pieces out one by one, or in handfuls. Others simply dump the box out on the table. If you do this, you probably pick up the few pieces that no doubt fell off the table. Then you flatten out the pile of pieces and turn them all face up. From there, you connect the pieces to each another one by one until you are able to see the whole picture that all the little pieces make by being connected._

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It was a Saturday morning. The sky was a single shade of grey as snow fell softly to the town of St. Hetalia. Everywhere from the Nordic coffee shop to the German auto-shop. From the cafe owned by a certain 'Bad Touch Trio' to the park with a now frozen over pond, bare trees and empty flower garden (yet somehow the maze was still as confusing as ever, if not more due to the fact it was a painful shade of white). From the middle school on one end of the town to the high school on the other.

At this point all the occupants of St. Hetalia were either sleeping, waking up or making Williams didn't fall into either of the three categories. The blonde was searching for his pet polar bear, Kumajiro.

"Kumalito! Where are you?" he called, his voice just above his usual whisper. Said polar bear was making his way down Atlantic street to the corner where it turned onto Europe street (the longest street in the town where most of St. Hetalia's occupants lived, the ending of it at Soviet Hill which was divided into six sections by a black metal fence and the former location of the 'Soviet Mafia' - but that is a story for another day). A small yellow dot could be seen clearly against the snow. Kumajiro reached the corner and laid down in the snow.

_"Hello Gilbird..."_

_"Hey Kuma! It sure is cold today isn't it? So not awesome for a Saturday."_

_"I like it..."_

_"Of course you do! You're a polar bear!"_Kumajiro made a motion like a shrug before laying down in the snow and closing his eyes. _"Hey! Don't stop looking at me! Your fur is so white I wouldn't be able to find you if it weren't for your little black nose."_

_"My fur isn't white..."_

_"What?"_ Gilbird tilted his head to the side.

_"Polar bear fur is clear. Not white..."_

_"You're weird Kuma..."_ A look of sadness crossed the polar-bear's face. _"... but the awesome type of weird. Kinda like me and Gil-sama. Piyo piyo~"_

The two animals smiled about as much as a chick and a polar bear can for a moment before Gilbird shivered. _"It's cold."_

_"You already said that... If you're cold why not go back home?"_

_"Because I wanna stay here and talk with you for a little longer. Gil-sama's awesome, but I can't talk to him like I can you. And the only other birds are the many Pierre's Francis owns that are too busy sending letters for him to talk."_

_"What about Ludwig's dogs?..."_

_"No way! Have you seen those big guys? They're too intimidating."_

Kumajiro gave a small snort. _"And a polar bear isn't?..."_

_"That's different! You're small for a polar bear."_ Gilbird said before shivering again.

Kumajiro blinking before taking his right paw and pulling Gilbird to where the bird sat in between his neck and front right leg. _"Better?"_

_"W-what are you doing?"_

_"You were cold and wouldn't go back home where it's warmer, so I'm warming you up... It's either this or you freeze out here..."_

_"... You have strange logic Kuma. But somehow it makes sense."_ Kumajiro smiled somewhat as Gilbird cuddled into his fur. _"You're warm Kuma. And that's the only reason I'm doing this, understood?"_ the yellow chick said stubbornly.

_"I understand, Gilbird. I understand."_

At the Beilschmidt house, Gilbert Beilschmidt was looking for his pet chick. "Oi, West! Have you seen Gilbird? I can't find him," he said as he looked under the couch. His little brother, Ludwig, stood in the doorway connecting the living room and the kitchen. He watched his brother search with a tired expression on his face.

"Have you checked your head East?"

"Of course I did!"

"You didn't leave your window open, did you?"

"No! It's too cold outside!"

"So you didn't open your open at all?"

"N-" he thought for a moment before sitting up and looking at Ludwig. "Maybe just for a sec."

"East-"

"I just needed to get a better look at the snow! Just in case I decided I wanted to go outside later!"

Ludwig sighed and shook his head. "Just go find your bird while I make breakfast," he said before turning around and walking into the kitchen. Gilbert stuck his tongue out at his brother before walking upstairs.

Matthew Williams finished slipping on a pair of red and white tennis shoes before looking in the mirror. _Red hoodie with white maple leaf? Check. Jeans? Check. And shoes? Check. Now to find Kumagigi!_ he thought as he slipped on some red mittens. He pulled the hood over his head and walked outside. He saw an almost covered up trail of footprints. "At least it hasn't snowed too hard, otherwise I wouldn't even have any trail to follow," he said quietly, trying to be optimistic.

Just a street away, Gilbert was calling for his little bird. Said bird heard him and called back. _"I'm here, Gil-sama!"_ All his owner heard was a bunch of quick little cheeps.

"Oi, Gilbird. There you are." Gilbert stopped a few feet away from the polar bear and the bird. "Shit. I knew it was cold out here, but... a polar bear? Really?"

"Hello..." Kumajiro said. Gilbert stared at the bear.

"Mein. Gott. The polar bear talks... C'mon Gilbird, we need head home anyway. West is making wurst, I haven't had breakfast, and it's too cold to be outside right now."

_"Kumajiro, you speak human. Can you tell Gil-sama I don't wanna go just yet?"_

"Gilbird doesn't wanna go yet... Wants to stay here with me." Gilbert blinked.

"Listen, you're cute. I'll give you that. But I highly doubt West would let me keep you. Plus I'm sure you have an owner."

"Kumatago! There you are!" someone said quietly.

Gilbert looked up to see a cute blonde in a red hoodie walking towards the polar bear. "Hi. You're Matthew, right?"

The short of the two stopped a few feet away from the two animals. "Y-yeah. B-but how'd you know my name?"

"I remember you gave me a bottle of maple syrup on April Fool's Day. Kesesese~ Plus I'm awesome like that!"

Matthew smiled softly. "Well, I was just looking for Kumakaro here," he said as he bent down to pick up the polar bear. Gilbird moved to sit on Kumajiro's head as the Canadian lifted him.

"I thought you called him Kumatago earlier?"

"No. His name's Kumabubu." Gilbert looked at the blonde strangely before looking at the bear.

"You. What's your name?"

"Kumajiro." The bear looked up at Matthew. "Who?"

"Matthew Williams, the one who feeds you."

"Hungry."

"Then you shouldn't have left before breakfast."

"So you haven't had breakfast either?" Gilbert asked.

"N-no. I was just about to make pancakes when Kumataru left. I-if you haven't eaten either then why don't you come over to my house for breakfast?"

"Sounds awesome!" the silverette said as he placed Gilbird in his hair. The two started walking down the snowy street.

"I know you know my name, and I know yours, but still. I think we should be correctly introduced. I'm Matthew Williams," the Canadian said, sticking out his hand.

The Prussian took the others hand and shook it. "The awesome Gilbert Beilschmidt! Kesesese~ Nice to meet you Birdie!"

"E-eh? Birdie?"

_Because you're cute, like a bird__,_ he thought. Instead, he said, "Because you talk as quietly as a bird."

Matthew stopped walking and stuck his tongue out at the older of the two. Gilbert stopped as well and stuck his tongue out at the other. It took them both a minute to realize how silly they looked. The two burst out laughing before continuing the small trek to Matthew's house for a breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup.

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_And so the box was opened..._

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**My first fanfic! I could leave it as a one-shot, or I could try to make it multiple chapter fic. What do you think?**

**I really do hope I got the character's attitudes right. I tried not to be too OOC, so please tell me if you think they were OOC.****Please tell me if I made any grammer or spelling mistakes.**

**I really did try, so please don't hate me if sucked.**


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